Snow White, Meet Uncle Sam (and praise for Miss Nancy)

Most of you with children in the kids department at Kokomo First Church of the Nazarene know that Nancy Beaver (aka "Miss Nancy") is awesome. She teaches Olivia's 3s and 4s Sunday School class. I've had the privilege of helping her once a month during second service, and let me tell you, it's not a myth. She has pages and pages of notes for one class, and you can tell that she puts much prayer into the planning. She knows how kids think and work and she gets right on their level in bringing a story to life, instilling a love for God's Word, and finding ways to help them create. She teaches them respect for herself and others, to listen quietly and obey quickly.

Sunday was, of course, Independence Day, and one of the crafts for the day was this darling hat. She folded a gazillion newspapers during the week and brought stickers, feathers, foam stars and napkins (the flag folded over the edge) for the kids to decorate with.

And now to the other reason my kids love Miss Nancy. I was helping in Miss Nancy's class this Sunday, but Olivia wasn't in church due to a brief bout something or other. Miss Nancy insisted I take hats home for all three of my girls to assemble, along with coloring sheets and fruit roll-ups, too. They had alot of fun putting it all together.

We love you, Miss Nancy!

Olivia wearing her hat. She loves to dress up, so I guess she was doing double duty being Snow White and Uncle Sam! :)

More Christmas Pictures, Anyone??

I know, I know. It's April and you are sick of seeing my very late pictures. But I have to get them up so that I have them semi-organized when I want to look at them three years from now.

Steve and Marcia Carnes are some of the sweetest people on God's green earth. They've rather adopted us into their family, and we love them to pieces.

We enjoyed a beautiful meal with Steve and Marcia, as well as Joyce and Lowell Ayers and their son, Scott. Marcia and Joyce both have a heart for young mothers and while they are not my official mentors, I have benefited so much from observing their love for God and people, for homemaking....and cooking! :)

Carli and Olivia are in love with "Scottie," a talented musician and an all-around awesome guy. He played endlessly with them, let them trounce him in air hockey, ride on his back, chase him around the house. He even helped decorate the gingerbread house that Marcia made for the girls.

As our evening was wrapping up, we followed Steve and Marcia over to a house a few miles away, decorated to the nines for Christmas.

Making Christmas Cookies: Mama vs. Daddy

Do you see a difference?????

Making sugar cookies with Mama

Making candy-cane cookies with Daddy

Something tells me they had way more fun with Daddy!

Therapy and Science

Maddy with Developemental Therapist Erynn Mula

Maddy's famous eyeroll when she's laughing
Not sure what's going on with the tongue

Science fun with our little homeschool group.

We meet once or twice a month with some other friends who homeschool. Carli met Liam and Wyatt in her pre-school class at First Presbyterian. A few more are involved that Carli has really taken to as well.

Here, we were seeing how close Carli was in her estimation of the pumpkin's circumference.


Digging the seeds out so we could count them.

Ew.